


Burned Out (OUTDATED AND REMADE!)

by BarkingHime (JadeHarleaf)



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Fluff, M/M, Maybeeee...smut?, Tags will be added, who knows - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-24
Updated: 2018-08-01
Packaged: 2018-08-24 09:04:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8366377
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JadeHarleaf/pseuds/BarkingHime
Summary: Three years ago he was 26 years old with the job of his dreams, living in a wonderful neighborhood with a man who'd he thought was going to be his life partner. Was.Two years ago, everything had fallen apart quicker than it had been built up, he was fired from his dream job, and evicted from his shared home by his boyfriend who was no longer his boyfriend after quite the explosive break up. ~Jack finds himself living with his ex-boyfriend Gabriel after he manages to burn down his entire apartment floor. Shenanigans ensue.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Me: has 3 incomplete fics
> 
> Also me: -publishes another-
> 
> Dad Wars has not been abandoned or near it's end, but this was something I absolutely could not get out of my head. I hope you enjoy my modern AU shenanigans!<3

A simple pillar of smoke was how it had started, caused by his inattentiveness, a simple pillar of smoke turned into a small, bright flame, and what was a small, bright flame had turned into a not so small, and much brighter flame, and before he knew, his kitchen was definitely on fire. And what started as his kitchen, was not just his small kitchen, it was the entire floor of the building. Every tenant in the apartment complex was outside of their quarters, waiting as the flame burned out, including the building owner, Ana Amari. He gave her an apologetic smile, expecting her to be angry with him, but instead the raven haired woman engulfed him in a tight hug, "Jack! Are you okay? I heard about the fire, why are you always so foolish?" She exclaimed, squeezing him tighter as he softly patted the smaller woman on the back, "I'm fine Ana, really, I just...don't have a place to live" He responded with a hesitant laugh, "Because...I burnt it trying to make ramen noodles" He sounded almost pathetic, he actually  _ was _ pretty pathetic. He was 29 years old going on 30, his friends were getting married, having kids, buying homes, getting stable jobs...and then there was Jack.  Still working in a cheap, rustic coffee shop near his used-to-be apartment, still single, and still not having even given a thought towards his future.    
  
Three years ago, it was an entirely different story. Three years ago he was 26 years old with the job of his dreams, living in a wonderful neighborhood with a man who'd he thought was going to be his life partner.  _ Was. _ _   
_   
Two years ago, everything had fallen apart quicker than it had been built up, he was fired from his dream job, and evicted from his shared home by his boyfriend who was no longer his boyfriend after quite the  __ explosive break up.    
  
"Jack...I'd love to invite you to stay with me but I'm afraid there isn't any room, Reinhardt is moving in plus Fareeha and Angela and their new baby are living with me until their house renovations are finished. I'm very sorry" He sighed, shaking his head, "Don't apologize Ana, I'll ask Lena instead"   
  
~   
  
"Sorry love! Amélie's movin' in and y'know how she feels 'bout ya! I love ya and all but, you understand, yeah?"   
  
He groaned at her response to his plea, Amélie LaCroix, his ex boyfriend's close friend and the Frenchwoman who absolutely hated his guts after the break up. They had begun dating shortly after that event, which made it quite difficult for Jack to vent to the British woman about post-breakup blues.    
  
Reinhardt, Angela, and Fareeha were already out of the question, seeing as though their answer would be the same as Ana's. Winston had told Jack his house was too cluttered due to his latest scientific experiment to house any guests, but wished him luck on his quest. He'd even asked Torbjörn, to no avail.    
  
"It's fine Torb, I understand, hope your building project is successful"   
  
He hung up his phone as he let out a groan, head in his hands as he rested his elbows on the wooden desk. He glared over towards a notepad, a large list of names crossed out with only one remaining...written very small and further apart from the rest, he had hoped it would not get to that point, but so it had, and he ended up on the cold subway, speeding towards the last person he wanted to see.

 

~

 

The exterior was the same as he’d last seen it, bland, almost nothing decorating the lawn except a small sign that exclaimed the number of the address, 40. Gabe’s silver BMW sat in the driveway, he hadn’t even gotten a new car since their breakup. Jack couldn’t help but feel nostalgic, he held some memories of that car...some sweeter than others, some dirtier than others. The blonde slowly strode towards the front door, taking his time to glance around at his surroundings before he forced himself to knock against the painted wood door. He grimaced at the muffled sound of footsteps, the door quickly swinging open to the sight of a disgruntled Latino man, pinching his nose bridge. It was the same disgruntled Latino man he used to be in love with. 

 

“For the love of fucking christ, no I  _ don’t  _ want to hear about our lord and savior because I already know, I’m fucking Catholic-”

 

“Gabe”

 

Chocolate brown eyes popped open to the sound of his ex-lover’s voice, standing in silence, shocked by the sight of a blonde he had not seen in years and had likely not expected to see ever again. When the surprise wore off, the darker man crossed his arms as he glared towards the blue eyed man, still not speaking a word as he practically pierced through Jack with his stare. Before he was given the chance to yell for the man to leave his house, Jack cleared his throat as he broke the silence.

 

“I know we’re not on the best of terms...like at all, even after two years. But I seriously need a favor Gabe, I’ve asked everyone I know and...no one can help me out here, and I’m just miserable. I know you probably hate me and I still deserve it, but just...can I come inside and hope you hear me out, it’s..really cold out here” He shivered for emphasis, letting out a puff of breath. Gabriel continued to stare for a solid few moments, causing anxiety to build up in Jack before his ex moved out of the way of the door frame, motioning for Jack to come inside. “Better not be stupid shit” He muttered

 

~

 

“So you’re telling me, you burned down an entire floor of your apartment building because you can’t even cook  _ ramen  _ and now you’re pretty much homeless, and you didn’t even think of fucking calling or texting to ask, you just decided to show up at my house at 8 AM?”

 

“That’s about it”

 

Gabriel huffed, arms still crossed as he stared on at the pathetic blonde sitting on his couch, “You haven’t changed”

 

“I so have!” Jack defended, “I..I don’t wear that 76 jacket anymore!” The blonde added, but he muttered something else under his breath, “Although that’s because I can’t find it”

 

Gabriel rolled his eyes, “And why should I let you stay?”

 

“Because I’m 29, have a shit job, still single, and I would really not like to add homeless onto that list” He confessed, Gabriel snorted, “You’re pretty pathetic, Morrison”

 

“Believe me, I know”

 

The darker man crossed his arms, opening his mouth to speak but Jack continued on with his rant, “I haven’t had sex in 6 months, I get high blood pressure when I’m stressed, and I’m always fucking stressed. I also have chronic migraines, I mean I’m 29 but I feel like I’m 50. Also, did you hear Angela and Fareeha have a kid now? A kid. And here I am, the last person I went on a date with turned out to be a in the closet married governor, I almost became a political figure’s side piece, Gabe, my life has gone to hell and also-”

 

“Oh for the love of fucking christ, fine. You can stay with me, just...a governor, seriously?” 

 

“I didn’t know he was a governor until the waitress recognized him!” He responded defensively, clenching his fists as he began to flush. “I almost became the center of a scandal, I would’ve had to change my name and move to Canada or something! I would say Mexico but, Amélie said your family kinda put like a, Mexican voodoo curse on me or something” He said with a hesitant laugh

 

“Mexicans don’t believe in voodoo,  _ tonto,  _ it’s  _ brujería.  _ And for the record, I wasn’t told of a curse being put on you, so I think you’re good” 

 

Jack gave him an apologetic smile, “Sorry..I uh, still don’t know these things. But are you serious about letting me stay?”

 

“I wouldn’t have said fine if I wasn’t”

 

The blonde nodded, “Yeah...that makes sense” He responded nervously, “Bring your stuff tomorrow, if you still have any” Gabriel said with a snort, “Come back after one, it’s too damn early” He said, trudging back upstairs to his bedroom. 

 

Jack sighed, he was returning to 40 William Ave. after two long years. 

  
  
  



	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> second chapter done! hoo i love this fic, i think dad wars will get the next update, i've just been incredibly stuck when trying to write it :s
> 
> but i hope you guys enjoy this!

"Here's a list of ground rules, you get no special treatment even if you are my ex so I expect you to follow them"   
  
"Wouldn't it make more sense for you to make them stricter  _ because _ I'm your ex?"   
  
"...Shut up and just read them"    
  
He snatched the paper from the darker man's hands, scanning what he'd written for the blonde.    
  
_ 1\. You will label your food, if you don't, I will absolutely eat it _ _   
_ _   
_ _ 2\. If you eat my labeled food, I will kill you _ _   
_ _   
_ _ 3\. I always shower first, even if you're awake before me _ _   
_ _   
_ _ 4\. Don't come into the bathroom to piss when I'm showering, if you do, I will use all of the hot water so your white ass dies of hypothermia _ _   
_ _   
_ _ 5\. Don't ever touch the oven, stove, or any cooking appliances. If you need food and I'm not there, order delivery or deal with it _ _   
_ _   
_ _ 6\. If you are going to get fucked, do it at their house or make sure I'm asleep and clean up after yourself. I don't want your cum stains on my couch _ _   
_   
"Wouldn't be the first time my cum stains were on your couch" Jack muttered under his breath, smirking as Gabriel flushed while placing a punch on the blonde's shoulder. "Keep reading,  _ pendejo _ " He responded through gritted teeth, Jack nodded as he glanced on.   
  
_ 7\. Don't go in my room. Ever. _ _   
_ _   
_ _ 8\. If you're watching TV after 12, the volume has to be under 19. Or you're never using the TV again. _ _   
_   
Most of the list was the same as the first seven rules, basically don't eat my food and don't go into my room was what he was attempting to convey, Jack handed him back the list with a nod. "So just a slightly updated version of the list you gave me six years ago? When I first became your roommate?" Gabriel shrugged, "I guess, just follow the rules and we probably won't ever have to cross paths, got it?" Jack muffled back a sigh and silently nodded, he didn't wanted to be disappointed by what Gabriel had said, but he found himself feeling cold.    
  
Gabriel grabbed a black hoodie from the edge of a dining chair, it was similar to the one he'd always worn during their relationship, but Jack knew it wasn't the same one. Because Jack had that hoodie Gabriel loved so much.  _ Blackwatch _ was written in dark, mahogany letters on the chest of the sweatshirt, the back containing a logo that Jack was never able to figure out. It was an antique record shop Gabriel had worked at for a while, he might've still worked there, Jack avoided ever passing by the store when he was in the city.    
  
Gabriel's hoodie was one of the things that Jack had accidentally thrown into his own suitcase as he was quite emotionally packing up when they'd broken up, he had planned to give it back to Gabriel as soon as he had discovered it, but no time ever seemed like the right time for Jack to approach his ex-lover.    
  
Despite what most would think, Gabriel's hoodie did not perish in the fire, it was the first thing Jack had grabbed as soon as the flames began to grow larger, along with his Colts jersey of course. His defense was that Gabriel's hoodie did not belong to him and he was planning to return it anyways, perhaps a bit late however. Ana knew that he saved it for reasons other than simply returning it.    
  
"I have someone to meet up with, try not to burn down the place" Gabriel said with a smirk, throwing on his hoodie as he headed out into the autumn air. Jack waited until he heard the car pull out from the parking lot to grab the dark hoodie from a small bag, clenching it close to his chest and he cursed under his breath, "Stupid Reyes..."   
  
~    
  
"I was waiting for you" A man said gleefully, wrapping his arms around the broad man that stood in front of him, "I've missed you, it's been so long" He said warmly, nuzzling himself under Gabriel's chin, "It's only been a few weeks,  __ bello but I've missed you as well" The darker man responded, kissing the top of his head, "Too long" His lover responded, reaching up to peck Gabriel's lips. "Let's say...I spend the night tonight, hm?"   
  
"That..might not work" 

 

He leaned back, raising an eyebrow at the taller man, “Why? Family visiting?” 

 

Gabriel scratched the back of his neck, “Something like that”

 

The shorter man rolled his eyes, “I can tell when you’re lying, Gabi”

 

Chills ran down his spine at the nickname, it was said by his lover on a few occasions, but it was a name given to him by his ex-lover more significantly. “Don’t be mad  _ mi amor,  _ but Jack...Jack’s staying at my house. He kind of burned down his apartment and has nowhere else to go.”

 

“Jack? As in ex-boyfriend Jack that broke your heart two years ago?”

 

“Yes, but you have nothing to worry about, I love  _ you,  _ remember?” 

 

He sighed, embracing Gabriel once again, “I love you too, but does Jack being over mean you can’t over to my house?” He purred, Gabriel grinned in response, “Of course not.”

 

~

 

_ “Jack, I really have no idea why you keep insisting we watch Titanic if it keeps making you cry” Gabriel said with a groan, the blonde man’s feet in his lap as he let out another sob, wiping his tears with the sleeve of Gabriel’s hoodie that he wore, “Oh jesus christ, Jack, how old are you? Twelve? And stop getting snot all over my hoodie!” Jack sighed, “I’m sorry but it’s just...so romantic, she jumped out of the lifeboat onto a sinking ship to be with her true love” Gabriel snorted, “And here you are, refusing to share your french fries whenever I get you fast food”  _

 

_ Jack teasingly kicked his lap, “Shut it Gabi! I let you wear my 76 jacket, and that is absolutely my most prized possession” Jack sat up to pinch the man’s cheeks, “After you, of course” The darker man laughed, pulling the blonde into his lap, squeezing him tight as he kissed his flushed, pink cheeks. “I’ll never let go, Jack!” He declared dramatically, “My heart will go on!” He continued as Jack began to laugh, “You’re such a dork, Reyes!” He teased, “Says the world’s biggest, but I still love you anyways” _

 

_ Jack smiled, pressing his back to Gabriel’s chest, turning his head to place a kiss on his cheek, “I love you too, dork” _

 

_ ~  _

 

The blonde felt himself begin to tense at the memory, he wasn’t sure what had triggered him to suddenly become lost in such a thought, likely the feeling of being in Gabe’s house, what used to be  _ their _ house, in such a long time. He felt his phone begin to vibrate in his pocket, pulling it out, he saw it was a text from an unknown number. 

 

_ 718-957-9663: Hey, I think this is still your number, it’s Gabe. I’m gonna be out for tonight, order takeout and don’t destroy the house.  _

  
He groaned, tossing his phone across the couch. He wasn’t sure what was worse, being in the house with Gabe or being in the house alone. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so we learned gabe has a boyfriend
> 
> also jack and gabe lowkey have each other's favorite jackets after 2 years
> 
> correct any mistakes!
> 
> also gabe's number isn't real pls do not try to call mr reyes


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is def jack centered and a bit depressing but things will get better for sunshine 
> 
> next chapter is probs gonna be gabe centric and also depressing again woohoo :') 
> 
> hope you enjoy anyways though

They spoke much less than Jack thought they would've, not that the blonde expected his ex-boyfriend to particularly _want_ to speak to him, but he at least expected a good morning every now and then. They'd only speak occasionally when Gabriel wanted to let Jack that he'd out be out that night, or if it was laundry day. The only times he _really_ spoke to Jack more than once a day was when Gabriel's boyfriend was coming over. He'd make it incredibly clear their plans for that night, he could tell Gabriel was trying to help him feel less uncomfortable, but if anything he became more so. He had absolutely no issue with Gabriel's boyfriend, he was a nice enough guy who was rather pleasant to Jack despite that he definitely knew just who the blonde was. Although the only problem Jack had was just the fact that he also spoke Spanish, and they seem to always speak it together when Jack was in the room. His paranoia had convinced him that they were speaking about him.  
  
"You wanna watch a horror movie with us?" Gabriel offered, curled up on the couch with his smaller lover, who rested his head on his chest. Jack politely declined, slowly shaking his head, "No thanks, I think I'm just gonna..." He thought for a moment, he didn't have his own room to go into, if anything the living room was his room. "I'm going to go outside" He added, the smaller boy raising an eyebrow, "Are you sure? It's pretty chilly out there" The blonde nodded, grabbing a jacket from the coat hanger, sliding open the back door as he stepped out, ignoring the feeling of their stares piercing through him.

Once he'd shut the door and took a seat on the metal outdoor chair, he pulled out his phone and began to dial Lena's number. The ringing lasted for only a moment, the British girl picking up the phone almost as soon as he called. "Hiya Jackie!" She said cheerfully, her voice ringing through the other end of the line. He softly smiled at the sound of her voice, she was one of his only friends that stuck by his side through his break up with Gabriel. He wanted to believe that Gabriel hadn't distorted the story of how it happened, but he truly would never know. "Hey" He all he responded with, he could hear the British girl happily hum, "How're you holdin' up? With your living arrangement and all?" She asked. Truthfully, Jack wasn't sure himself. There were times in which he just wanted cry at how cold their interactions were, and there were times he just wanted to kill the man...or kiss him, he wasn't sure which it was more of. "You really wanna know?" He asked, letting out a sigh of laughter, "That bad, huh?"

"Let's see, Gabriel and I don't talk, and when we do, it's really cold and incredibly awkward. He ignores me most of the time, or just gives me disapproving glares. Oh, I almost forgot to mention how he always brings over his hot new boyfriend now, and fuck they look so... _in love._ His new boyfriend who I can't fucking remember the name of, he's just everything I'm not. He speaks Spanish, he's a great cook, he can dance, he's great at flirting, and his life is just...so in order! This shouldn't even irk me, but it does"

"Jackie, it sounds like you're jealous"

"J-jealous? No way, Gabe's my ex-boyfriend...he's been my ex-boyfriend for a very long time"

"Doesn't mean you can't be jealous, and it doesn't mean you can't still be in love with him"

He went quiet, he felt like she could've been right, he felt like she was right. But he didn't want to believe that, it would've made things much more complicated than they already were. "Can I call you back later?" He asked, gripping tight on his phone. "Yeah, take all the time you need, love" She said happily, and as soon as she hung up, Jack began to cry. _Fuck Gabriel Reyes. Fuck him, and fuck his new perfect boyfriend. Fuck him. Fuck him. Fuck him._

~

Jack went back inside of the house at around 11 PM when he saw Gabriel and his lover relocate upstairs, probably to fuck. Jack grabbed his headphones from his coat pocket, he really didn’t want to hear that, at all. He turned on the TV as well, just for good measure. He was slowly beginning to fall asleep to the sound of his own music when his phone began to vibrate, a series of texts from Hana.

 **Hana** : Mr. Morrison! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ  
**Jack** : Hana, it’s almost 11:30  
**Hana** : Oh, were you sleeping?  
**Jack** : Kinda  
**Hana** : Jeez, you’re old! ( ಠ◡ಠ )  
**Jack** : Thanks  
**Jack** : Anyways, what do you need?  
**Hana** : Nothing really, Rein just wants to know if you’re coming in tomorrow (^-^)  
**Jack** : Oh, well tell him I should be  
**Hana** : Yay! Oh, and tell Gabey I say hi!  
**Jack** : Uh, sure, alright  
**Hana** : Night, old man! (づ｡◕‿‿◕｡)づ  
**Jack** : Night Hana

He shut off his phone, letting out a groan of frustration as his music continued to loudly play through his headphones. He hated to admit, he wished he could go back to three years before.

~

_He clenched onto the fabric of his pants as he sat in the cold waiting room, his boyfriend’s arm gripping onto his shoulder. His mother had called two days ago saying that his father had a bit trouble breathing and that they would be taking him to the doctors to get him checked out. Exactly 24 hours later, his mother called again to tell him that his father could barely breathe and was beginning to cough up blood. He knew he shouldn’t have brought Gabriel, he knew it might’ve made things with his father worse, but he couldn’t go through it without the man at his side. He awaited for his mother to tell him the results of the biopsy they were taking of his lungs._

_“How’re you doing, sunshine?” His lover asked, tenderly stroking his shoulder with the hand wrapped around him. “I feel like I’m going to throw up” He muttered, Gabriel sighed, leaning in to kiss his temple, “You’re so strong Jackie, but I’m here for you, you can throw up on me if you need to” Jack managed to crack a smile as he leaned into the man’s touch, but his smile broke as he saw his mother walk out into the hallway, newly formed tears welling in her eyes. Jack darted up to squeeze her, “My god, Mama” He said through his own tears as she began to sob more. “H-how much time?” He asked, she leaned back to wipe away her tears, “A few years...at most”_

_Gabriel stood up to approach the two, and Jack immediately held onto him, burying himself into his chest as he cried. Gabriel immediately did all he could to comfort him, but there was only one thing on his mind. He had to speak to Jack’s father._

_~_

_He ended up in the father of his lover’s hospital room at around 7 AM, and to his surprise, he was actually awake. Greying blonde hair matted, sticking to his forehead as his blue eyes pierced Gabriel with a glare. It was silent between the two for a few good moments before the elder man spoke up, “What are you doing here?” He asked hoarsely, “Before you call me a faggot and kick me out, can I talk with you about your son, please?”_

_The man remained silent before slightly nodding, arms crossed. Gabriel had never see him in person before, but it didn’t take a genius to tell that he looked awful at that moment. “Are y’gonna ask me for his hand in marriage or somethin’?” He croaked, “I mean, is that something you would like for me to do-”_

_“Bah, not really. Not at the moment anyways, talk to his mom about that”_

_“You seem...really, nonchalant about it. Was Jack lying to me about you?”_

_His father laughed, which transitioned into a dry cough, and Gabriel quickly grabbed a bucket before he could throw up on himself. “What Jack told you was true, but does it really look like I wanna waste the last few years of my life bein’ a jackass?”_

_“I guess not, but...would you be willing to see Jack again?”_

_“He’s my kid, my junior, ain’t he?”_

_Gabriel smirked, “Guess he is, John”_

_Gabriel was about to walk out, when he heard the older man croak out something similar to ‘Wait’ he turned back, the man staring back at him. “Take care of the kid won’t ya? He needs someone to keep him in check, if I can’t be here to do it, then you should”_

_“All part of the plan sir, kid can’t even make basic food by himself, where would he be without me?”_

_John grinned, “I like you, Gabe is it? Keep him happy, okay?”_

_“I promise I will”_

_He intended to keep that promise._

~

His shifts felt longer than they actually were, and the rest of his days went by just as slow. He worked until two in the afternoon, and then proceeded to flop on the couch to take a nap until six, leaving for a night out at eight. He hated his clubbing habit, but being used for a one night stand bottom boy distracted him from how shitty things were. He scrambled back inside the house at around 2 AM, shirt ripped and flushed. Of course, that when was his father had decided to call him. He silently cursed his father’s fucked up sleep schedule nowadays, he spent all day sleeping and all night vomiting.

“Pa? It’s really late, shouldn’t you be resting?”

“Good evening to you too, Jack” He responded, letting out another cough.

“Not that I don’t like hearing from you dad, but is everything okay? Do you need something?”

“Jack, I have doctors here to take care of me, I’m okay”

“You sure about that?” He muttered, his father laughing in response, “You always did have your mother’s snarky attitude, I just wanted to talk to you, and...maybe tell you that it’s time you visit soon”

Jack bit his lip, “What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean”

Jack knew what he meant, he knew exactly what he meant, “How long, pa?”

“A few months, maybe less”

He hated how often he was crying lately, he wasn’t normally a crier, but when his call with his dad ended, he felt himself beginning to break down for a third time that week. The only difference this time, in the midst of his hysteria, he felt someone nearby.

“Jack, what is it?”

He tried to respond, but he felt his chest beginning to tighten with every word he attempted to say.

“Breathe, just breathe..you don’t need to answer me, just breathe”

His vision began to clear with every breath he took, and in front of him sat Gabriel Reyes, chestnut eyes looking concerned as he clenched onto Jack’s shoulders. He began to find difficulty to breathe again, but for a new reason than the last. “I-it’s my dad, i-it’s my dad, Gabe. H-he’s goin’ soon, he’s gonna die” He managed to croak out, “Jack….” He said, “Jesus fuck Jack, I’m so sorry” Gabriel began to hug him, it wasn’t a close embrace, but it was enough for Jack to feel the pain of nostalgia as Gabriel’s arms wrapped around him. He didn’t push him away though, he just sat there.

“You’re tough Jack, you were strong about this when we were together and you’re still strong, you will get through this”

He wanted to correct Gabriel, he wanted to tell him that he wasn’t as strong as he used to be. He lost everything he had, and it had taken a toll on him. He wasn’t strong, he was weak.

He let Gabriel continued to hug him however, for a second, he felt like his ex-lover still cared about him.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've like even made myself sad now bye guys
> 
> follow me on tumblr! barking-hime.tumblr.com


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After a looong hiatus due to a lot of family issues and school, I'm back. I'll give you all an explanation, but I'll keep it brief so you can just skip to reading
> 
> I mentioned my grandmother's condition (Cancer of the brain, gliobastoma) in the notes on one of my other fics, after chemo she began to deteriorate rapidly and has recently passed away (March 1st), the stress of my grandmother being sick packed along with the increasingly high amount of schoolwork had rendered me also becoming physically feeble (A simple cold had me knocked out for 6 weeks!) So I've recently switched to online schooling with has MAJORLY lifted a weight off my shoulders. I'm so sorry for keeping you all in the dark but I'm so excited to start writing again, especially this fic!

He awoke to the sound of chattering coming from the dining room, flirty banter and conversing in Spanish was what stood out to him most. He hadn't known that Gabriel's boyfriend had stayed over the night before, but it seemed like he had stayed over almost every night.    
  
_ “Estás haciendo que mis dientes se pudran, cariño” _

 

_ “Sabes que te gusta lo dulce que soy, Gabi” _

 

He wasn't able to understand a single word of that, but he winced at the nickname Gabriel's lover had "given him." That was what Jack had called him, many years before.    
  
The blonde had reluctantly gotten out of "bed", which was just a couch with a few more blankets. He tried to avoid the happy couple, but to no avail. "Jack! Gabe and I were about to head to a furniture store, would you like to join us?" The man asked gleefully, soft, apple green eyes staring into his own. He wanted to say no, but his mouth had betrayed him.    
  
"Yeah! I-I mean, sure" He blurted out, “Can I ask why we're going?” The blonde added, stumbling on his words, flushed with embarrassment as Gabriel smirked at him. The smaller man smiled up towards the blonde, standing up from his dining chair to grab a coat, "Gabriel decided to forfeit his precious office so you can have somewhere nicer to sleep, it was gonna be a surprise but Gabe didn't mention you get up so early"    
  
Jack apologetically smiled at the man as he turned his stare to Gabriel, "Well, thank you Gabe. That's awful nice of you" Jack responded, feeling as if his eyes were deceiving him as he saw Gabriel's cheeks begin to pink, he always liked Jack's country twang. "It's nothing" He muttered back, grabbing his car keys as he threw on his hoodie and signature beanie, Jack was pretty sure it was the same one he'd had for years.    
  
He wasn't sure if he should've mentioned the night before to Gabriel, as he was entirely unsure of what it was supposed to mean. He didn't know if Gabriel actually did still care about him, or was just being sympathetic towards him. The glance they exchanged when his ex-lover’s partner stood up to wrap his arms around his neck as he kissed his cheek only made things more complicated for him in a way. 

 

“I have the  _ sweetest _ boyfriend in the world!” He exclaimed, Gabriel lightly hugging him back, “Matty…” He mumbled, kissing the top of his head.

 

_ Matty...Matthew, that was his name.  _

 

~

 

Their trip to the furniture store was rather uneventful, Jack picked out simply what looked nice and wasn’t too expensive. The Jack from three years ago would’ve called it boring, but there was little money to spend nowadays. On their way back, Jack saw kids running up and down the streets in their Halloween costumes, he’d almost forgotten of the holiday, mostly because Gabriel hadn’t said a word of it. Jack couldn’t understand why, it was Gabe’s favorite holiday, when they were together he’d wake up the blonde at 7 AM on Halloween like it was Christmas morning. 

 

“So Gabe, how’s your Halloween costume?” He asked hesitantly, Gabe looking back at him, who was sitting in the backseat. “Gabe and Halloween costumes?” Matthew asked, raising an eyebrow, “I’d love to see that, he hates Halloween”

 

“Really? I’m pretty sure he loves Halloween” He responded, his tone unintentionally sharp. Jack soon realized his mistake, and quickly added on, “Or maybe not, maybe I’m wrong and he changed it to like..Easter or something” The blonde nervously laughing

 

“No, you’re right Jack. Halloween’s still my favorite holiday, just haven’t had time to do anything”

 

Matthew glared over at him, Jack feeling a little awkward that he’d just proven Gabriel’s current boyfriend wrong, flashing an apologetic smile, although Jack couldn’t deny he’d felt quite pleased with himself at that moment. He wondered just how many other things Matthew hadn’t known about Gabriel, he wondered if Matthew knew Gabriel’s favorite band (AC/DC), he wondered if Matthew knew Gabriel’s favorite  _ guilty pleasure  _ band (Led Zeppelin), if he knew exactly how many cousins he had (23, excluding 4th cousins, 5th cousins, and beyond. 6 of them being 1st cousins with the other 17 being 2nd cousins), or the fact Gabriel had always said he had an  _ obsession  _ with blondes. The words that left Matthew’s mouth had made him wonder if he’d taken a glimpse inside of Jack’s mind, “So, anything else you’re hiding from me?”

 

It was teasingly, with a tinge of jealousy. Jack forced himself to keep his mouth shut, not wanting to let his cockiness get the best of him.

 

“Nope, think that’s all” Gabriel mumbled in response

 

_ Liar _

 

The car ride back to Gabriel’s house was awkward and rather silent, Jack had almost wished he’d never said a word in the first place. And he wished he wasn’t curious just how much Gabriel hadn’t told Matthew, all over a stupid question about Gabriel’s favorite holiday. 

 

~ 

 

It was just the two of them that evening, Jack watching reruns of whatever TV show was on at the moment, Gabriel cooking up something that Jack had to admit smelled pretty good. He was afraid to ask just where Matthew was, he’d hoped that it wasn’t the off conversation they’d had that afternoon. He wasn’t sure why Gabriel wouldn’t celebrate Halloween anymore if it was still his favorite holiday. 

 

He held a bowl of cereal in one hand, attempting to change the channel with the remote in the other. He switched and switched until he found himself satisfied with a Charlie Brown Halloween special, he leaned back into the couch, reaching for another bite of cereal but it was quickly swiped out of his hand.

 

“Hey! I was eating that, asshole!” 

 

“I’m making dinner and I’m not gonna have you complaining about being full because your ass stuffed yourself with frosted flakes beforehand” 

 

Jack crossed his arms and pouted as Gabriel began to laugh at his reaction, “What are you even making anyways?” The blonde asked, “Stuffed pizza skulls or some shit like that, found it on the internet and thought I’d try it” He didn’t wanted to admit that sounded pretty good, and knowing Gabriel, he’d probably make it even better, but Jack was still mourning his frosted flakes. 

 

“Are you gonna make some spooky cocktails too?”

 

“I bought a different brand of beer, is that spooky enough for you?”

 

Jack laughed as Gabriel threw him a bottle, decorated in green with a silhouetted image of the grim reaper on a horse. “Fucking  _ Reaper Ale _ ?  _ Seriously _ Gabe?” A snort coming from the other man, as Jack let out a groan, “You’re so edgy I swear to god” Gabriel walked over to the couch with two plates, two perfectly carved dough skulls on each. 

 

“Be careful, they’re hot-”

 

Jack had taken a bite anyways, looking pitiful as he felt his mouth burning, causing another laugh from the man next to him, “Christ Jack, did I not just tell you they were hot?” He said, trying to stop himself from laughing the more and more Jack repeated “hot.” He’d eventually calmed down, leaning back to take another bite. It was like a hot pocket on steroids with a hint of spice too, as was most things Gabriel made. He’d taken another swig of beer, he wasn’t sure why they were watching a classic children’s Halloween special at almost 30 years old, but it felt like a moment that had happened before.

 

“So why don’t you celebrate Halloween anymore?” 

 

It was something he didn’t mean to ask, it’d just sort of fallen out of his mouth, Gabriel raising an eyebrow over at the blonde man, “Am I not celebrating it right now?” He asked, a tone of joking condescension in his voice. Jack rolled his eyes, “You know what I mean, so seriously why don’t you go all out for Halloween anymore? The perfectly crafted costumes? The huge parties? Why’d you stop?” Gabriel groaned, taking a sip from his bottle, “Why do you have to look into it so much? Maybe I just decided to stop because I wasn’t interested in that shit anymore”

 

“You’re lying” 

 

Gabriel crossed his arms with a grumble, “Do you  _ really  _ wanna know?” 

 

“I asked, didn’t I?”

 

The darker man bit the inside of his cheek, Jack knew he was hesitating to answer as he mumbled something under his breath, “What was that?” The blonde sincerely asked,

 

“Jesus christ, because that was  _ our  _ holiday. For fuck’s sake you’re still really nosey you know that?” 

 

_ Our holiday _

 

_ Our holiday _

 

_ Our holiday _

 

The words repeated in his head over and over, he had never thought of it that way, but it sort of made sense. The two of them had always been the “go big or go home” kind during Halloween, and their parties certainly showed that. 

 

He frowned as he could see that he’d soured Gabriel’s mood with the pressing question, “...I’m sorry if that was a bad thing to ask, I was really just curious and I’m sorry if I upset Matthew with it before”

 

Gabriel groaned and shook his head, “It’s not your fault, neither of those things are. He always gets on my ass about being closed off, he was more mad at me than he was at you. It’s stupid as fuck but he’ll get over it”

 

Jack nodded, staying silent as he pursed his lips before taking another bite of his food. He wanted to ask if that was why the other man wasn’t here, but he knew Gabriel would really begin to get irritated if he asked anymore. 

 

~

 

_ “Bye Jack! Bye Gabriel!” Angela said, the blonde adorned in witches attire waved the two of them off as she left their home, stumbling out with Fareeha holding the door for her, “Angie, what did I tell you about drinking too much?” The woman scolded as she closed the door behind her, the chatter of the crowd from outside of their house soon began to turn to mumbles as they cleared out on their way home. Gabriel groaned, taking off the carefully carved jack-o-lantern from his head, placing it on the counter before throwing himself onto the couch, Jack climbing atop of him, running his hands through the black hair that stuck onto his boyfriend’s forehead.  _

 

_ He scrunched his nose, “You’re sweaty” _

 

_ “Yeah, I had my head in a fucking pumpkin for three hours, along with wearing this heavy ass costume, of course I’m sweaty” _

 

_ Jack laughed, placing a hand on the darker man’s cheek, while softly placing a kiss on his lips, Gabriel placing his own hand over Jack’s as he reciprocated. It didn’t last very long, but it was enough to have Gabriel show a glint of a smile. _

 

_ “You look ridiculous” Gabriel said with a laugh, Jack dramatically furrowing his brow as he attempted to look as if he was deeply offended. “Well you do too!” He retorted, Gabriel rolled his eyes, “Don’t get defensive, I still think you’re cute” _

 

_ “Love you too, pumpkin” _

 

_ “That was the worst joke you could’ve made”  _

 

_ The two laughed in unison as their lips found themselves connected once again. _

 

_ ~ _

 

_ “Do I look good?” _

 

_ Gabriel snorted with a smirk, he continued to paint the black around his eyes as precisely as he could, “You look dead, now hold still so I don’t fuck up” Jack smiled, “Looking dead is the goal, so technically you’re saying I look good” He rolled his eyes, “Yeah, yeah, yeah…”  _

 

_ His hair was pushed back, pale makeup covering his face, dark circles around his eyes being painted on by his boyfriend whom he was teasing by making sudden jerks and movements. “Your eyes are good, let me contour your face and we’ll be done” _

 

_ “I can’t believe you even know what contouring is, are you running a secret double life of a makeup artist behind my back? Because if so, y’know I’d be into being one of your models or something-” _

 

_ “No! Now sit still and do this with your mouth” He moved his mouth to one side to demonstrate, Jack purposefully fucking up to tease him. Gabriel pinched the bridge of his nose as Jack began to laugh before eventually complying with his demands. Gabriel had hoped that a giant pan of cheap black eyeshadow from the drugstore was enough to get the job done and it appears as if it had. He almost admired the incredibly basic work of art he’d painted on Jack, “Now for your hair-” _

 

_ “Thank you Gabi!”  _

 

_ Jack began to lean in, and Gabriel immediately knew what he was trying to do, “Jack, no” The blonde grinning as he leaned in even more, leaving no room for Gabriel to go any further as he caught his mouth against his. _

 

_ And of course, once they’d separated, Gabriel saw the splotchy patch of missing pale makeup from his lover’s mouth, and the gaining of one on his. Gabriel had to admit he was partially at fault, as he let it go on for a little longer than someone who was truly against it. “Dammit, now I have to even up the makeup around your mouth”  _

 

_ Jack’s constant, light laughter was worth the price.  _

 

_ ~  _

 

They’d decided to watch a series of classic horror films after Charlie Brown had ended, they were both a little tipsy after a few beers, Gabriel half falling asleep as Jack excitedly stared at the TV.

 

“Gabe!” 

 

Gabriel’s eyes quickly shot open as he glared over to Jack, “What?”

 

“I have something for you!” He declared happily, “You’re gonna fucking throw a beer in my face or something I just know it” Gabriel grumbled, Jack laughing as he shook his head. The blonde hopped off the couch, pulling his suitcase from under the coffee table, digging through the black bag as soon as he zipped it open. Gabriel had an eyebrow cocked as he looked down to the blonde who quickly pulled out a black hoodie. Brown eyes widening as soon as he realized what it was, his Blackwatch hoodie. He’d thought he’d left it on the subway, or lost it at the public wash and dry. 

 

“I wasn’t sure when to give it back to you, no time ever seemed like the right time but I just remembered it now”

 

“Jesus, I don’t even think they make them with this design anymore. I was looking for this everywhere” 

 

Jack smiled, Gabriel standing up, “I have something for you too then, I guess” He walked over to the coat closet, retrieving a box and rummaging through it, the flash of red, white, and blue appearing and Jack knew  _ exactly  _ what it was. An excited grin plastered on his face, once Gabriel handed it to him, he quickly threw it on himself. He was too happy for words, Gabriel had cracked a smile as well as he threw on his own hoodie. But the smiles soon began to fade when they realized something,

 

They no longer had the scent of their owners, they smelled like each other.

 

~

 

It wasn’t until Jack had long gone to sleep did he begin to wonder, just how did he retrieve the hoodie? He’d said his apartment burned, most of his possessions were lost in the fire with the exception of a few pairs of clothes in his livingroom. He knew he wasn’t lying about the fire, he’d read about it in the paper a few days after. The thoughts of whether Jack had actually risked his own life to grab his ex’s hoodie had crossed his mind. Did he really prioritize the duty of returning it that much? Clearly that wasn’t the case if it’d taken him 2 years to get it back to him. The more and more he let his mind roam, there was one question that lingered.

 

_ Does he still love me? _

 

There was no way that was possible, and Gabriel was ashamed to say he felt disappointed when realizing that fact. He had everything he could ever want in a boyfriend, he had everything he could want in  _ life  _ in general, but those baby blue eyes and that bright smile continued to plague him. He wondered if he was no longer over him, he wondered if he ever truly was. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spanish translations (Only a few!):
> 
> “Estás haciendo que mis dientes se pudran, cariño” - "You're making my teeth rot, sweetheart."
> 
> “Sabes que te gusta lo dulce que soy, Gabi” - "You know you like how sweet I am Gabi"
> 
> -
> 
> Aaaagh! I really love this fic and I'm so excited for the ideas that are beginning to blossom for it! 
> 
> Follow me on tumblr if you want: barking-hime.tumblr.com


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think updates will begin to occur perhaps once a week? I wanted Dad Wars to get the update but after reading and becoming aware of how screwy the timeline kind of is, I'm going to hold off until I have time to practically fix the entire story >.<
> 
> So here is this! A little longer than normal, 3.3k words! Hope you enjoy

The shop was almost never busy on Tuesdays, and not especially so the day after Halloween, but to be fair, no where was. Gabriel had contemplated just staying home that day, but figured a full day’s worth of pay for sitting on his ass was better than not being able to pay the mortgage. Besides, he needed to get away from his house for a few hours anyways, thoughts of Jack had filled his mind the night before while his bedsheets strongly held the scent of his lover without the presence of the man nearby. He desperately wanted to rid himself of the thoughts that lingered at home, but it appeared that there was little work to be done. All he could do was glance over at his workers as he tidied up the display case.

 

Jesse was at the counter, flipping through a magazine as he held onto a glass of sweet tea. Amélie bearing a large package, practically wobbling in as she struggled. Jesse offered to help, but she quickly spat that she was fine on her own.

  
  


“Gabe, our new shipment of vinyls has arrived, do you want me to put them in the window?” Amélie asked, practically slamming the heavy box on the counter, “Be careful with those” Gabriel scolded, “But yeah, clear out the display and put those in, I’ll sort the old ones when you’re done” 

 

“Yo boss, our application pile is gettin’ pretty big, you actually gonna hire any of these guys?” Gabriel snatched the stack of papers from the counter, “I’ll handle it”

 

As he headed back to his office to probably shred an entire pile of applications, a ring of a bell signified a customer. Gabriel couldn’t be too concerned with it, he trusted Jesse and Amélie could handle it. There was a distinct mumbling from the main store for a few moments, Jesse eventually calling out, “Boss! There’s a hot blonde here for you!” Gabriel rubbed his temples in annoyance as he headed out of his office to come face to face with Jack Morrison, who gave him an increasingly bright smile in greeting. “Jack, somethin’ you need?” He asked, The blonde shaking his head as he reached into his pocket and pulled out Gabriel’s cellphone, “You left your phone on the kitchen table and Matthew’s being calling nonstop, I think you should talk to him” 

 

Gabriel nodded as he took his phone, he knew Jack was probably right. He’d avoided calling or texting Matthew since the night before, but to be fair, he was sorta drunk, and drunk Gabe does  _ not  _ diffuse situations. But he knew the internal struggle would probably begin to fade if he made up with his lover and he could just go back to having nothing but semi-friendly thoughts for Jack. 

 

Friends? Acquaintances? Just exes? He really had no idea what to make of it. 

 

He didn’t call Matthew right away though, to be truly honest, he was a little scared to. He favored sparking up a conversation with his roommate instead, who was more than happy to converse. 

  
  


“So do you have today off or…?” Gabriel asked innocently, Jack nodding in response, “Yeah, why? Need some help?” 

 

He could feel Amélie’s eye piercing through the back of his head, hesitating to respond to the man in front of him because of it, “Uh…I mean, sort of. I have a stack of applications on my desk, could use some help sorting through them” He suggested, Jack grinning, “I’m more than happy to help!” 

 

Gabriel nodded, “I’ll go call Matthew, just wait out here” 

 

As he turned around, he saw Amélie’s very evident scowl aimed at both him and Jack. Once he headed into his office, Amélie quickly followed, slamming the door shut behind her.

 

“What. The.  _ Hell.”  _

 

“Excuse me, but I have someone to call so if you could please get the fuck out of my office-”

 

“Why are you talking to Jack Morrison? Why does he have access to your cell phone?” 

 

“Holy shit, because he’s my fucking roommate cause his apartment burned down, he’s staying with me til he can get a place of his own. Nothing more, nothing less, now can you stop being so fucking nosey and let me call my  _ boyfriend?”  _

 

She muttered something under her breath but nodded before heading towards the door, her hand on the knob as she stopped, “He’s just going to hurt you again” She snapped before leaving his office, Gabriel groaning in response. He ignored her comments, unlocking his phone before pressing on Matthew’s contact. He waited for it to ring, only a few times until he heard the voice of his lover.

 

“Gabriel?”

 

“Hey…” 

 

“Why haven’t you been answering my calls? Don’t lie to me.” The sharpness of his boyfriend’s voice was easy to hear, and it was also easy to tell that he still wasn’t happy with him. “Left my phone at the house, Jack just brought it to me” He knew he was stirring the pot by mentioning his ex-lover, but Matthew wanted him to be honest, right? “Oh, of fucking course  _ Jack  _ brought it to you, jesus christ you might as well marry him” 

 

“You’re being so fucking dramatic, all he did was bring me my  _ phone  _ for christ’s sake! You were the one that said you didn’t want Jack living with me to change anything, but it really seems like  _ you’re  _ the one letting it change things. You’re freaking the hell out all because Jack knew my favorite holiday and you didn’t” 

 

“I’m your boyfriend! I should know more about you than he knows, even if it’s just stupid details like that!” He argued, Gabriel had to take a step back...going silent and taking a deep breath, “Are you really not finding the hole in that logic?” Matthew had gone silent, but he could hear the angry huffs across the phoneline, “Jack used to be my boyfriend too, and I’ve known him for  _ 10 fucking years,  _ I’ve known you for what...a year? It’s not a symbol of disrespect towards you, I’m not hiding anything, you just haven’t known me for very long.” There was a silence between the two of them, it was Gabriel who decided to break it first, “Look...I don’t wanna argue anymore, can we talk about this in person?” 

 

The call ended without another word, Jack creeping in through the door, “That sounded pretty intense….” He mumbled, “Are you sure you don’t wanna be alone for a moment?” Gabriel shook his head, “Nah, I’m fine, let’s just sort through this shit”

 

Jack nodded and pulled up an extra chair, and began sifting through the piles of papers.

 

~

 

“What about this guy? Kyle Huffington?”

 

“Probably lying”

 

“Why would he lie on his resumé to apply for a job at a record shop?”

 

“You’d be surprised how desperate people are for work” 

 

Jack let out a huff as he flipped through the pages, “But Jamison Fawkes is  _ clearly  _ a more suitable match, because he wrote  _ I like exploding shit  _ under his interests!” This emitted a snort from Gabriel, “Aw c’mon, he’s a character, he’s unique! Besides, who  _ can’t _ tidy up and put shit away?”

 

“Uh, you?”

 

Gabriel stuck his tongue out at the blonde as the other man let out a chuckle, “You can’t be mad, you set that one up yourself” 

 

The only two that Gabriel had ended up picking out of the bunch was Jamison Fawkes and Mako Rutledge, but as soon as they were finished with that pile, Jesse had plopped down another one on his desk. People  _ really  _ wanted to work there he guessed. It was around 6 PM by the time they’d finished, both Jesse and Amélie had already left, but they just sat in Gabriel’s office and chatted aimlessly.

 

They’d ended up talking about missing their hometowns, Jack missed being able to see the stars and being able to walk for miles without a single industrial sound. Gabriel missed his family and the warm weather. 

 

Gabriel said he’d hated New York, Jack said he did too.

 

~

 

_ It was his best friend’s birthday, and the two of them were about 9 hours away from their home in Staten Island.  _

 

_ It’d started off a few days before, Gabriel had been complaining about the city and how he just wanted to “get the fuck out” for a few days, and with the man’s 22nd birthday approaching, Jack was determined to make that happen.  _

 

_ He’d woken up the man at around 7 AM, happily telling him that they were going on a surprise road trip. Gabriel had attempted to resist, but Jack had insisted that he agree. They were out the door quite soon after that.  _

 

_ They’d traveled all over the northeast in Jack’s old pickup truck, the staticy music playing over the radio as Jack happily sang along, Gabriel not being able to decide whether staring at the nature that passed him by, or at the blonde next to him that bopped his head to the tune of the music. They’d stop at wherever Gabriel wanted, parks, food places, or just something that looked cool.  _

 

_ They’d taken a stop in Woodstock, Vermont for the night when a snowstorm had hit suddenly, keeping them locked in just for the night. But Jack had immediately woken him up as soon as the sun had risen, a plate of buttermilk pancakes in hand and a smile on his face. _

 

_ “Happy birthday, Gabe!” He’d said with a grin, Gabriel groggily rubbing his eyes as the sun shone through the blinds, looking as if the storm had passed after one night flickering power and cold air blowing through a vent. He slowly sat up, taking a glance down at the food Jack had prepared for him and then towards his best friend himself, “How did you make these?” _

 

_ “I have my ways, now hurry and eat, birthday boy! We’ve got a trip to Maine to make!”  _

 

_ ~  _

 

_ He had to admit that the pancakes were good, especially for Jack’s cooking skills. Gabriel had liked to think he tried extra hard for his birthday.  _

 

_ Jack had insisted they go to Old Orchard Beach when they arrived in Maine, but Gabriel had to remind him that it was the middle of November and around 30 degrees outside, and the park would probably be closed anyways. Jack said he wouldn’t complain however, it was Gabriel’s day, not his. If it truly was his day though, sitting in a car was not what he’d be doing with his best friend.  _

 

_ Nevertheless though, they did end up doing whatever Gabriel had wanted to do at that moment. They’d gone to a guitar store first, where Gabriel had bought a few decals for his guitar and a new strap, since his own was incredibly worn. His eyes had kept averting to a certain black guitar however. Incredibly sleek and high end, he knew it was a device made specifically for professionals. He knew he’d needed a new one, but there was no way in hell he had enough money to buy a guitar that nice. _

 

_ “You’ve been staring at that thing for a few minutes now” _

 

_ He quickly glanced over to Jack who was giving him a smile, “Do you want me to get it for you? It is your birthday after all.” Gabriel had quickly shaken his head at the blonde’s offer, “No, no, no. That thing’s like 2,000 bucks, not only am I not letting you spend that much money on me, can you even afford 2,000 dollars?” Jack shrugged, “Maybe not, but I want to” Gabriel had quickly shot down his offer again, having to drag him out of the guitar store before he forcibly grabbed the instrument from the wall and slammed his debit card into the machine.  _

 

_ Jack had paid for most of the day's events, which was mostly just walking about and shopping here and there. They’d gone out to dinner at around 7, a simple steak house that Gabriel knew both he and Jack would agree on. He’d felt incredibly underdressed for the occasion, but yet again so was Jack, not that it mattered though, he could wear a tattered t-shirt and ripped jeans and look better than the entirety of the human race.  _

  
  


_ Their last event of the day involved sitting in the back of Jack’s truck as the blonde eagerly gazed at the stars and aurora overhead. “The northern lights? It seems way too early for that! I know we’re in northern Maine and it’s really cold out but geez! It’s probably because of your birthday, Gabe!” He teased, Gabriel bundling himself up in layers of blankets as Jack was content in just a winter jacket. “And I think that one’s the big dipper! And Orion! I haven’t seen this many stars in awhile, city life really does have it’s downsides” He said with a frown, before continuing to ramble on and on about the stars and constellation.  _

 

_ “Jack, it’s really fucking cold out” _

 

_ “I know, I know! C’mon, just a few more minutes” He begged, “Jack…” Gabriel responded through gritted teeth, but Jack wasn’t listening, he just continued to look at the sky with the wonder of a child. Gabriel had to admit he looked beautiful like this, it was dark but it was almost as if Jack was illuminated. He could almost see the flush in his cheeks from the cold air, Jack’s gleaming blue eyes intensely identifying constellations and stars. While it was probably a good 25 degrees out, he wouldn’t rather be anywhere else than with his stupid blonde best friend. _

 

_ “Jack” _

 

_ “Okay, okay! We’ll go!” _

 

_ “Jack” _

 

_ A pause in the conversation, Gabriel desperately trying to muster the courage to just spit out his words. But they simply just seemed to fall out, _

 

_ “I like you”  _

 

_ The look on Jack’s face was one of almost complete surprise, it must’ve been quite unexpected for him.  _

 

_ “What?” _

 

_ “I like you” _

 

_ “W-what do you mean?! Like, do you...like like me or do you just, like me?” Gabriel had rolled his eyes at his response, just placing a hand on the blonde boy’s pale face as he leaned over to softly place his lips against Jack’s. It wasn’t rough, there was no need for it to be. It was enough to get his message across and embrace the warmth that was his best friend’s mouth. From what Gabriel could tell, Jack seemed to be responding well. A cold hand caressed the back of his neck as Jack kissed him back, it was cold out but Gabriel felt nothing but warm.  _

 

_ Once they had separated, his eyes immediately locked on with Jack’s bright blues, who had softened a bit since Gabriel had declared his “like” for him. There was only silence between the two of them, breaths becoming shaky as the chill air filled the area. “So...you..like like me” He asked, posture stiffening as he began to shiver, Gabriel letting out a nod as he attempted to hide the fact his teeth were severely chattering. “Well, I...like like you too” _

 

_ “Jesus Jack, what are we? Twelve?”  _

 

_ Jack laughing along with him as he took his hands into his own, the silence returning as they depended on each other for warmth. The skies had begun to darken further overhead, the aurora and stars brightening, but the air had become even colder. “We should probably...go back…” _

 

_ “We probably should” _

 

_ “Yeah…” _

 

_ Neither of them moved, finding content in holding hands in the freezing weather. Neither spoke a single word, their breaths visible as they simply stared down at their hands. _

 

_ “Gabe?” _

 

_ “Yeah?” _

 

_ “I really like you”  _

 

_ ~  _

 

His lover sat on their bed, adjacent to Gabriel who sat in a desk chair as he frustratingly glared down at his sheet music, other hand gripping the neck of his guitar. “Be careful with that! You’ll break it!” Matthew said with a laugh, Gabriel had just rolled his eyes at him and continued on attempting to play the piece he had composed himself around half a decade ago. “I don’t fucking under _ stand!  _ I used to be able to play this shit perfectly, now I’m getting all screwy all of a sudden? What even the  _ fuck?”  _ Matthew had stayed quiet, not wanting to spark another argument with his boyfriend. 

 

“Well, your guitar still sounds great  _ and  _ looks great! You’ve had that thing for what, 7 years now? It shines like it’s brand new!” He said with a grin, Gabriel smirking at the praise of his “baby” 

 

While Matthew knew not a lot of Gabriel, Gabriel  _ constantly  _ talked about his guitar. He told Matthew where it was from, what year he’d gotten it, and the measures Gabriel had taken to not get a scratch on it. “That thing must worth like what, 1,000? 2,000 dollars?” Gabriel nodded, “Now if only I could actually play it at the moment” He said with a groan, Matthew striding over to gently place himself on the arm of the chair, pressing a peck against the cheek of his boyfriend, “I’m sure you can do it” 

 

He quietly thanked him, but he felt as if the few hours of practice had done almost nothing. He had his good days and his bad days when it came to playing, but recently it had felt as if he’d lost all inspiration. He’d hoped it wasn’t for the reason he thought it was.

 

~

 

Matthew had left at around 11, despite Gabriel insisting that he stay. He knew he was probably still a bit hesitant after their recent argument which Gabriel could understand. They had both apologized, but there was still an eerie feeling between the two of them.

 

Jack hadn’t returned home until 12:30, not exactly drunk but slightly tipsy. Gabriel had relocated to the couch for practice, he’d even hauled his amp with him. The lights were dim due to half of the light bulbs being burned out, but he could still see Jack smiling over at him. 

 

“You usually don’t stay up this late, special occasion?” Jack said, walking over to fall back on the couch next to Gabriel, who shook his head at his question.

 

“Just trying to practice, which really isn’t fucking working at the moment”

 

Jack had just lightly laughed, “I was wondering if I should ask you if you were still playing the guitar, and I see you’re still using that thing” He said with a smirk, Gabriel nodding as he then attempted to focus on his practicing. His notes were shaky, he’d either pluck incredibly too loud or too soft, and he was growing more frustrated by the minute. The blonde frowned, “I don’t know if this will help but, remember when you were trying to teach me guitar?” 

 

“Sort of, did you ever finish learning?”

 

Jack shrugged, “Kind of, I’m not as good as you though. The point though is, when I was learning, I was plucking my notes way too hard, I had my fingers pressed against them too strongly, you’d told me that my posture was too tense and I was thinking far too into it. So maybe, just try not to think while you play?”

 

“Easier said than done, Morrison”

 

He did try however, Jack sitting next to him as he watched eagerly. If anything he felt more pressured than he did before, but soon Jack’s presence in that moment began to feel more natural, like how it used to be. Even when he’d messed up, he felt that it was alright, Jack wasn’t scolding him for it, he was just encouraging him to try again and complimented him on the parts he had perfected. But it wasn’t long before the blonde began to grow tired, likely serenaded after a few gentle songs. 

 

Gabriel began to feel more accurate with how he was playing, it was almost like something had drastically changed in the past few hours, he probably knew what it was, but would never admit it. 

 

After a perfect rendition of one of his favorite songs to play, he glanced over to Jack who was dozing off next to

him.

 

“Jack?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Thanks for the guitar again”

 

Jack smiled and nodded, “No need to thank me Gabriel, it’s like it was meant for you. Can’t believe it’s still in perfect condition after all of this time”

 

“Me neither”

 

One of Gabriel’s fears had been confirmed, Jack Morrison had always been his inspiration. 

  
Well doesn’t  _ that  _ just complicate things further.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm afraid that instincts will make me portray Matthew as the villain, which I don't want because he really isn't. He's kind of stuck in a shitty situation and it's very understandable as to why he'd get upset over it, but I hope you guys enjoyed! follow me on tumblr!
> 
> barking-hime.tumblr.com


	6. OUTDATED FIC, BUT CHAPTER 1 OF A REMAKE IS OUT!

so hello again any of you who are still waiting for this fic to be updated after 5000000 years, and by the title and probably how I updated the title (which I'll do shortly after this is published) 

i've had a super stressful year which is why I sort of gave up on fic writing during that time, i thought i had a stressful year before but boy was I wrong lmao

but I graduated high school by the skin of my teeth and was ready to put out an update before I realized how much in this fic I ended up not being a fan of and how much I'd improved in the year I took off (I have a lot of unfinished drafts okay)

but I still adored this fic idea, so I've decided to rewrite it! I'm so thankful for everyone who supported this fic in the beginning and I hope that everyone who's still bookmarked will give the improved version a shot

the link from my new account will be posted in the notes (i think that works? idk lol) but I wanna thank all of you who supported me back in the day, i love you <3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://archiveofourown.org/works/15520908 okay i guess direct links dont work here :(

**Author's Note:**

> I hope my knowledge of Mexican witchcraft is correct? At least in the sense that I was correct about voodoo not being prominent in Mexico? If I'm wrong correct me right away!
> 
> I hope you enjoyed + follow me on tumblr! barking-hime.tumblr.com


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